


The Guardians of Atom

by Kaffeinated_Krow



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 11:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8055310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaffeinated_Krow/pseuds/Kaffeinated_Krow
Summary: A retelling of how 6 men travel to the depths of the earth under the tomb city of Moscow to save the world. Not all of them make it back.





	The Guardians of Atom

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanwork in the SSSS-verse. Originally posted it in the Alt-verse thread. Yes there's some heavy influences by Metro-2033.

After the Fall, the first admiralty, commanders of the Sinno, the States and Federation called for volunteers across their then vast fleets of man. Weapons of unimaginable strength forged from the sleeping strength of the god Atom threatened the world, originally our own they had been tainted by the blight and turned towards us, poised to destroy the lost lands and prevent the reclamation. Of the North fleets in the seas of Siber, seven were called to this task.

Chosen by White of the Krustchev: Jennings and Romanov, enemies old from across the seas, described as dogs of war; the fires of conflict forged their camaraderie while the calm of peace tempered the bond they had made.  
Selected by Peng of the Liaoning; Chen, a clever spider weaving traps and webs; always suspect, never caught, he came from the city of ghosts carrying secrets from all.  
Voluntold by Cobb of the John Paul Jones: Nevoyske crew chief of thunder, Captain of the old order of rangers. A mountain of a man with hands of iron, even the mighty plates of the Enterprise would bend to his will, a whisperer to the machine spirits of old. Brought along by Nevoyske his assistant and porotege, Strelock the wanderer; a wild fox of the Maiden revolution, together the two could resurrect any machine of the old world.  
Decided by Kremlin affirmed by Levchenko of the Shaposhnikov: Riga the bat, seeker of secrets and whispers, he had no choice but to carry the cipher of Atom back to the depths of the D6 tomb.  
Tricked by Pike of the Enterprise; Komarov the crow, on wings of steel, prayer and luck he could ferry man and through any wind or storm.

With prayers, wishes and blessings of the winds, the seven were tossed by the might of the Enterprise into the icy sky under stars of good fortune.

Before the guardians could face the might of atom they traveled to the vaults of the Kremlin deep in the heart of the wicked mountain to seek the sage advice of Kremensky, a man jovial when striking fear into the hearts of men, cheerful even in the face of the blight. In the halls of stone it was there Riga learned the Cipher of Atom, a powerful song of binding to wrap and tie down the power of the mighty god. There too did the guardians receive masks of protection, warded to guard them from the blight, and there they learned that Atoms might would rain down on the world in 30 days if they failed their task. With great haste did Komorav take them from the mountain to the tomb city of Moscow.

Arriving on silent wings those remaining in the husk of Moscva saw the guardians arrival and cried out to the skies for relief and aid, silent the guardians remained. 18 days they stood watch as the embers of the old world burned low. Volodin of the Kremlin was the herald, trumpeting the death knell of man’s hold over the power of atom. With the north winds to their back the guardians stepped into the tomb city to put an end to Atom’s power.

The first descent of the Guardians was a fool’s errand; the dead barred the way into the depths of the underworld and called to the beasts for aid, in the end Jennings and Romanov fell fighting to the tide of blight as the others returned to the light of the surface. Wandering and lost they were sought by Anton, guided by the whispers of the dead he protected his flock and the guardians from the beasts of Moscow. Those beasts that sought them out were struck down by the long spear of the guardian witch Anna, a mistress of ice and bearer of the sorrows of Kiev, it is said that her icy heart could freeze the very air around her if she so chose to.

 

A metallic screech announced the arrival of the great corrupt wymm, a writhing mass of flesh and steel winding its way along the underground caverns of steel and stone. It stared at the intruders with it thousand skulls, lidless with empty eyes, its many jaws chattering in the old tongues, taunting and calling to the guardians, announcing its challenge with great zeal as it lurched off the tracks and onto the platform. Chen who had foreseen this trod forward, his claymore at the ready urging the remaining three to make haste while he kept the behemoth distracted. With a mighty strike of the claymore the beast fell in twain, but where one fell two more took its place, stunned and disoriented the creature howled in agony, its thousand voices one symphony of pain, its hatred now fully focused on Chen he once more urged the three to depart down the shaft into the old crypts of the Em-twoo. With each successive strike of the claymore the best fell apart, split and regrouped, charging and cowering back as Chen led it away from his companions; the titanic blows between the two shaking the walls until they crumbled behind the three, and even then the battle raged on, each blow shaking the earth until silence reigned once more.

The three paused to mourn the loss of Chen before continuing into the underhold of Marakovskaya a silent gilded Wymm unfolded by the blight carried them along the depths of the underworld, it was there that Strelok and Nevoyske opened the hallowed seal to D-6, coaxing the machine spirits of old world’s might with the right whispers and suggestions, and it was there that the beast of Marakovskaya struck. It’s weirding ways different from all foes before attacked Nevoyske from behind, enthralling him and forcing the man to his will. Like a puppet its strings wrapped around the limbs of the mountainous man; with his body barely his own the man pushed Strelok and Riga through the portal and slammed it sealed once more.

Confusion reigned the two as Nevoyske’s raspy warning whispered through the steel, warning of the creature that had befouled him. Strelok sighed and pulled Riga upright reminding him that they had known it was a one way mission against Atom, and the two set out into the depths of D-6. A simple matter of reciting the cipher to the old machines was all it took, the torches dimmed, except for one, a single glimmer of Atom’s will remained. The ancient reactor glowed on; with no hand to control it the device would eventually loose Atom’s will on the realms of man. 

 

Without the men of knowledge to maintain such a device Riga could see the danger and knew that atom would not let the shutdown of its power go without a toll of blood. He chose to tell him of the danger and the price after sending Strelok ahead to escape he slipped into the depths to confront the final test of Atom’s power, forcing the old rods of control deep into the core of the ancient machine to silence its hum forever.

A long silent crawl through the depths of the earth awaited Strelok as he made his way to the surface. Through steel grate and stone caverns till starlight flickered in his eyes. Sadly he was not alone, his mentor Nevoyske had followed him, thrall to the beast he fought Strelok as he begged forgiveness and a merciful end. Strelok cut the strings the beast had burrowed into Nevoyske, but not without cost as his protective wards being broken. The mountainous man, Nevyoske collapsed and breathed his last, free from the pain and puppetry and In a fit of rage at this loss Strelok hunted the wounded beast down charring it with his wrath.

With his wardings broke Strelok chose to remain in the tomb city, leading the lost ones to Komarov to ensure they would be ferried back to the fleet, the fare paid a hundredfold through the actions of the 6. With a parting glance he walked back into the tomb city to take a place on the spire of Ostankino and guard it from the world, and the world from it.

Litany of the Guardians of Atom  
Blessed are the Six who walked the depths of the earth, the guards of Atom

Jennings and Romanov, warriors of the same cloth, felled by the tide of blight.  
Chen the master of blades, felled by the great wyrm.  
Nevoyske the lockbreaker, felled by the beast of Marakovskaya.  
Riga keeper of the cipher, felled by the power of Atom in the depths of control.  
Strelok guardian of the tomb, the eternal watcher of the tower, his fate unknown all rangers must pass his judgement.

 

Blessed are the three, the bringers of truth of atom's end.

Komarov the ferryman, carrier of the lost ones, long did he live. He flew to the stars on the wings of a bronco.  
Anna the guardian witch, sharp is her spear quick is her aim, long did she live, ending her journey in peace on the bloodied seas of Monterey.  
Anton first of the speakers for the dead, his fate unknown. All windtalkers share in his wisdom.


End file.
